


not a promise but a vow

by dear_universe



Series: fate must be real since it brought me to you [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, Weddings, written before s5 came out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22588855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dear_universe/pseuds/dear_universe
Summary: it's finally the big day, the one catra and adora have been waiting for: their wedding day. and every moment of the day, from getting ready with their friends to walking down the aisle, all they're thinking about is spending their lives together.
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora & Micah, Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Catra & Scorpia (She-Ra), Glimmer & Micah (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Series: fate must be real since it brought me to you [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625353
Comments: 59
Kudos: 336





	1. waiting all my life

**Author's Note:**

> this took me a long while to write and i was nervous to post it but? my friends are amazing and convinced me to post it. so, here you go, enjoy, enjoy the ride.
> 
> thanks to storm, arika, ace, and the spop writer's group for all their help <3

For Adora, the day of her wedding dawned bright and early, sunlight streaming through a gap in the curtains and casting a soft light across the woman sleeping beside her. Catra was splayed out on her stomach, face turned to the side against her pillow, an arm thrown around Adora’s waist.

Bow and Glimmer had wanted to keep the two separate before their wedding. 

“It’s bad luck,” Glimmer said. “Etherian tradition.”

Adora shrugged it off. “I don’t need luck when I have Catra. And besides, I’ve lived through enough days without seeing her. I’m not going to let that happen again if I can help it.”

Bow teared up and Glimmer rolled her eyes, but neither of them pushed the matter any more.

It wasn’t like there were wedding traditions in the Horde, anyway. Adora wasn’t even sure there were weddings, at least not any she’d been aware of. 

There was love, though. She and Catra were proof of that.

Catra’s face was pressed up against her pillow, her eyelashes fluttering gently against her cheek. Her hair was tangled and falling across her face, and her cheeks were flushed.

And somehow, Adora thought, Catra was hers. She really was the luckiest woman in Etheria.

Adora reached out, careful not to jostle Catra’s arm, and gently brushed the hair back from her face. When that didn’t wake her, Adora leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Catra’s forehead. 

“Nnng,” Catra groaned, eyes still shut tight. 

“Catraaaaaa,” Adora whisper-sang, tapping her fiancee on the nose. “Time to get up, babe.”

“Not yet,” Catra mumbled, pulling Adora closer and resting her forehead against Adora’s. “Let’s just stay here a little longer…”

“Catra, the wedding’s today.”

Before Adora had even finished her sentence, Catra had rolled onto her back and jolted up into a sitting position facing the headboard of their bed, the hand that had been tracing lazy circles across Adora’s stomach now clutching a fistful of blankets.

“Why didn’t you wake me earlier!” Catra’s voice had gone a little shrill, and Adora sat up, placing both her hands on Catra’s shoulders. Catra brushed them off. “Don’t you try and calm me down right now. We have so much to do and we probably just overslept and-”

“Our alarm doesn’t go off for another five minutes.”

“Oh.” Catra let go of the blankets, flopping backwards onto the bed. “Then why did you wake me up? I could be sleeping right now.”

Adora shrugged. “I missed you.”

Catra couldn’t resist the grin that spread across her face. “You dork.” She reached over and booped Adora on the nose. “I can’t believe you convinced me to marry you.”

“You’re the one who proposed,  _ dork _ ,” Adora shot back, grabbing Catra’s hand and tangling their fingers together.

“I can’t wait for you to be my wife,” Catra whispered, red blooming in her cheeks.

Now Adora was the one grinning. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that please?”

“Repeat what?” Catra blinked innocently.

“You know what.” Adora rolled her eyes. “Come on, admit it. You  _ like _ me.”

“I do  _ not _ like you,” Catra said hotly, lifting a hand to flick Adora on the cheek. Those wide blue eyes were so dilated now that they were almost entirely black. “I  _ love _ you. And don’t you ever forget it.” She leaned in closer, closer, closer… 

…And pulled away right as their alarm went off.

“Catra!” Adora yelled as the other woman leapt out of bed and ran for the bathroom. “I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“Too slow,” Catra called over her shoulder, sticking out her tongue at Adora as she pulled the bathroom door closed behind her.

“Tease,” Adora muttered, getting out of bed and turning the still-beeping alarm off. 

“I heard that!” 

“Stupid cat ears,” Adora said as she began to pull clothes out of their closet. She couldn’t very well fly over to Bright Moon in a sports bra and boxer briefs. 

“I heard that too!” Even the sound of the shower turning on couldn’t impair Catra’s hearing, apparently. 

“I meant for you to!” Dressed and with her hair pulled back into her standard ponytail, Adora went and knocked on the bathroom door.

“What do you want?” Catra said over the sound of running water.

“Goodbye kiss?” 

Catra opened the door a crack and stuck her head out, pecking Adora on the lips. “I’ll see you in the woods in three hours, right?” 

“You got it,” Adora said, with finger guns. 

Catra snorted. Adora really hadn’t changed a bit since they were kids. “Don’t go getting cold feet,” she warned, pulling the door shut behind her. 

* * *

“Are you sure about this, Glim?” Adora asked, spinning in a slow circle to allow Bow and Glimmer to take in her outfit.

“Positive.” Glimmer glanced over at Bow, whose eyes were already welling up with tears. “Bow, we’re not even at the actual wedding yet,” Glimmer sighed, teleporting to grab a box of tissues and then teleporting back, handing them to him. 

“Don’t you judge me,” Bow sniffled, dabbing at his eyes. “I saw the tears in your eyes when you zipped her up.”

Glimmer glared at him. “She’s getting  _ married _ , Bow, I can’t help it.”

Adora was oblivious to both of them, staring at herself in Glimmer’s full length mirror. She smoothed the lace of the bodice, turning from side to side. It was the most precious thing she’d ever worn, and she could hardly recognize the woman staring back at her.

“Guys?”

Bow and Glimmer snapped out of their bickering, turning to stare at their best friend once again. Adora spun to face them.

“Do I look okay?” She asked nervously. 

And now Bow and Glimmer had forgotten the argument completely, both their eyes brimming with tears at the sight of her.

“Adora you look…”

“Breathtaking,” Glimmer finished, grabbing the box of tissues from Bow’s hand. 

“Catra is going to lose her mind,” Bow added, snatching a tissue and blowing a honking sneeze into it that made Glimmer giggle.

Adora turned back to the mirror in a dreamlike state, still trying to take it all in. From the sweetheart neckline to the thin lace sleeves to the fitted pant legs to the cape that flowed out behind her, she looked every inch the princess.

And for once, she felt like one too.

The only thing that stuck out were her bare feet. Shoes were uncomfortable with Catra’s claws, and Adora figured that if Catra could be barefoot, she could too, much to Bow and Glimmer’s chagrin. Their compromise was Adora’s toenails painted a silver color that sparkled with every step.

“Are you  _ sure _ about this, Glimmer?” Adora repeated. 

“Adora, I’ve told you a million times, I’m sure!” Glimmer threw up her hands, the tissue box flying over her shoulder. Adora had asked before and after every single alteration made to the outfit, as well as when Glimmer had initially suggested it. “Oops.”

“I know, but…” Adora fiddled with one of her sleeves. “It’s your mom’s wedding dress. Jumpsuit. Whatever.”

“Yeah, but it would never fit me. And it looks like it was made for you.”

“It was specially altered just to fit me.”

“Yeah, but still.” Glimmer walked over to Adora, her eyes softening as she picked a piece of lint off the shoulder. “She would want you to have it.”

And now Adora was the one crying, reaching her arms out and pulling Glimmer into a hug. Bow joined them, wrapping his arms tight around them both. 

“You’re going to mess up your outfit,” Bow said after a minute of the three of them gently swaying back and forth. 

“I don’t care,” Adora replied, but she pulled away anyways. Glimmer was a merciful queen, but not so merciful that she would let something happen to the outfit her mother got married in.

“I just can’t believe you’re getting  _ married _ ,” Glimmer said, teleporting to grab the box of tissues and handing it to Adora. “It seems like yesterday we were just kids.”

“You’re talking like you’re in your thirties already, Glim,” Bow joked as he dabbed at his eyes for what must have been the fifteenth time that day. 

“Shut up.” Glimmer shoved him one handed and he nearly toppled over. “I’m just saying, look how far we’ve come.”

“Yeah,” Adora agreed, stealing a handful of tissues. “Catra and I went from best friends to enemies to allies to girlfriends to…. wives, almost. She’s changed so much.”

“So have you.” Bow took her gently by the shoulders and turned her towards the mirror once again. 

Adora cataloged the changes in her appearance, feeling almost separate from herself. Her hair was longer, to her chest now, with the bottom half of the back was shaved, and a tattoo of her sword on the back of one hand. She was a little taller, maybe, and a little more muscular. No longer a teenager thrown into a war, but a full-grown adult. 

An adult who was about to be someone’s wife. 

“You guys, oh my god,” Adora whispered, placing her hand over Bow’s hand, which was resting on her shoulder. “I’m getting married today.” 

“You just figured that out?” Glimmer laughed, poking Adora in the side and then quickly pulling away when Adora shot her a glare. 

“Of course I knew it was happening,” Adora continued, poking Glimmer back. “It just didn’t feel real until now. All the fittings and catering meetings and planning, it just felt like getting ready for a big party. But it’s so much more than that.” Tears were rolling down Adora’s face now. “I mean, Catra’s going to be my  _ wife _ , you guys.” Her voice broke, and she leaned on Bow for support. “My wife! I know she loves me and I love her, but she’s going to be really, truly, legally mine. And- and whenever she does something cool, and someone is like, ‘Hey, who’s that?’, I can tell them, ‘That’s my wife!’ I can wake up every morning next to her and kiss her and hold her hand and take care of her, and-” Adora sank to the ground, pulling her friends down with her. “We used to be fighting a war, and now we’re getting  _ married _ .” She took a deep, gasping breath; she felt like she hadn’t spoken that much in years.

“You’re getting the happiness you’ve always deserved, Adora.” Bow rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles.

“I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Catra-”

“That’s an understatement,” Bow scoffed.

Glimmer reached across Adora and pinched Bow sharply on the arm. “As I was saying, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Catra. But I am glad you two ended up together. Even I can see that you mean the world to her, and you deserve to be with someone who loves you like that. She hasn’t always been good, but I know she’ll be good to you.”

“Glimmer, shut up, I’m already crying!” Adora launched herself into Glimmer’s arms, nearly knocking the shorter girl over. “You guys are the best friends I could ever ask for.”

“We love you, Adora.” Bow could never resist joining a hug. “Best friend squad forever!” 

“That name is still stupid,” Adora muttered.

“Aww, you secretly like it.”

Adora didn’t bother responding. Bow knew he was right. 

The sweet moment was interrupted when Perfuma burst into the room, clutching a very wilted flower arrangement. “Mermista watered all the flowers for the wedding with saltwater and now everything is r-ruined,” she sobbed. Catching sight of Adora, she quickly hid the flowers behind her back, wiping the tears from her face with her free hand. “I mean, umm… All good on the floral front! Nothing for the lovely bride to worry about.” Her grin was so fake it made Adora wince. 

“I’d… better go sort this out,” Bow said, reluctantly pulling away. “Glim, are you good with hair?” 

“I’ve got it under control,” Glimmer replied, climbing to her feet and cracking her knuckles. “Adora, are you done crying, or do you need a few more minutes?” She said as the door swung shut behind Bow and Perfuma.

“I’m ready now,” Adora said, reaching a hand out and letting Glimmer help her up. 

“Good.” Glimmer grinned, and Adora could practically see the plan forming in her mind’s eye. “We’ve got-”

Another knock at the door, this time followed by Micah poking his head in. “Glimmer, everything good in here? I heard crying.” He caught sight of Adora in his late wife’s outfit and his eyes widened. “Wow, is that-”

“It’s Mom’s, yeah.” Glimmer took a small, protective step in front of Adora. “Sorry, I should have asked but… I felt like it would have been important to her, and-”

“No, you’re right.” Micah stepped fully into the room and walked over to clasp both of Glimmer’s hands in his. “She would be really proud of you, you know.” He dropped one of Glimmer’s hands and took one of Adora’s. “Both of you.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Glimmer threw her arms around him and buried her teary face in his chest. “I wish she was here.”

“I wish so too.” He pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head.

Adora began to whistle awkwardly, tapping her foot. 

“Hey, come on, you too.” He reached out a hand and pulled Adora into the hug. “You’re as much part of this family as Glimmer and I are.”

“Thank you, King Micah.”

“Just Micah.”

“Thanks… Micah.”

And as Adora hugged Glimmer and Micah, she couldn’t help smiling at the thought that her family was about to grow a little larger.

* * *

“Are you decent, Wildcat?” Scorpia called from outside the bathroom door.

It had taken a lot of time and a  _ lot _ of apologies on Catra’s part, but she and Scorpia were finally in a good place, which Catra couldn’t have been happier about. And when Adora said she planned to get ready for the wedding with Glimmer and Bow, Catra knew just who to call.

“I would hope I look a little better than decent,” Catra said, opening the bathroom door and stepping out into the bedroom. 

“Oh, Wildcat.” Scorpia pressed a claw to her mouth, then ran forward and scooped Catra into a bone-crunching hug. 

“Careful, you’re going to mess up my suit,” Catra whined, but they both knew she didn’t really care. 

Finally, Scorpia let her go, placing Catra gently back onto solid ground. She smoothed out the shirt and jacket before reaching up to adjust her bowtie - actually tied, this time. Proof she really would do anything for Adora.

“Are you ready for this?” Scorpia did an excited little spin, the skirt of her dress flaring out as she twirled. “You’re going to be a married woman in just a couple of hours!”

“Of course I’m ready,” Catra said. “I’ve been in love with Adora since the moment we met. I’ve been waiting for this day my entire life, nearly. I can hardly wait another minute.”

Catra was a good actress and a good liar, she knew this. She could spin a convincing tale in a matter of seconds and utter it with the confidence of saying the grass was green or the sky was blue. After years of lying and manipulation, false confidence came as easily as breathing, to the point where it was hard to tell it apart from reality. 

But loving Adora? That was something she could be truly confident of. Catra loving Adora was as much a fact as the grass being green or the sky being blue. It was easier than breathing, easier than blinking; love for Adora was ingrained into Catra as much as her heartbeat.

Catra might be nervous and worried and downright terrified, but she could still say with pure, honest confidence that she was ready to marry Adora.

Scorpia, meanwhile, was nearly in tears at the romance of it all. Her pupils had practically turned into little heart shapes. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” she gushed. “You should go find Adora and tell her right now, you should-”

“Scorpia, we’re about to get married.” Catra laughed. “I think Adora knows how much I love her.”

“I know, but telling her never hurts.”

“Trust me, I’m going to tell her every single day.”

Scorpia held a claw out to Catra, who placed her hand in it. “Wildcat, you know I love you, right?”

“I love you too, Scorp.” Catra had known a cheesy best friend speech was inevitable, but somehow, she found she didn’t mind very much.

“And you know I’ll always be here for you, right?”

“Right, I’ll always be here for you too.”

“And you know that if Adora ever does anything to hurt you, I’ll beat her up, right?” Scorpia had warmed up to Adora, but there was still a hint of distrust between them, and it showed itself in moments like this.

“Adora would never do anything to hurt me.” Not intentionally, at least.

“I’m just covering all my bases here.”

“Fine, sure, I promise I’m aware that you would beat Adora up for me.”

“Then I guess it’s time to get you married.” Scorpia sniffled, and Catra sensed a tidal wave of incoming tears. “Oh, gosh, it’s really happening, isn’t it?”

“I guess it really is,” Catra agreed, and no, she was  _ not _ going to cry before she even got to the altar, especially not in front of Scorpia. She’d never hear the end of it. “So, who do you think will be the next wedding?” She playfully elbowed Scorpia. “You and Perfuma, maybe?”

Scorpia blushed a deep red. “We've only been dating for a year. I think it’s a little early for wedding plans.”

“You’ve thought about it already, though, haven’t you?” Scorpia refused to meet Catra’s eyes. “Suit or dress?” 

“Dress,” Scorpia answered automatically, then clapped a claw over her mouth. “Catra!”

“I knew it, you dork,” Catra giggled, nearly doubled over with laughter. 

“I can’t help it!” Scorpia protested, wringing her claws. “She’s so pretty and nice and kind… I really like her.”

“I know, and I’m happy for you.” Catra straightened up, smiling. She reached over and tapped Scorpia on the arm. “Hey.”

“Yeah?” Scorpia couldn’t stay mad for very long.

“You’re a really good friend, you know that?” The heat in this apartment was clearly getting to Catra, making her soft. 

“I know.” Scorpia’s gaze softened as she took in Catra: wide-eyed, excited, and very, very in love. “You are too.”

“I’m not-”

“You didn’t used to be,” Scorpia continued, ignoring the interruption, “But you are now.” She smiled down at Catra. “I’m proud of you, Catra.”

“I’m proud of me too,” Catra mumbled, and this time she was the one who pulled Scorpia into a hug. 

And then of course, they had to pull away and get ready to head for the Whispering Woods, but Catra couldn’t find it in herself to care. After all, she was getting married today.

She was marrying Adora today.


	2. lawfully wedded wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wow, look, the actual wedding!

The guests were still filing in, buzzing with excitement. The wedding of Etheria’s greatest hero and who had once been a Horde commander was an event to be remembered for centuries. There weren’t a great number of guests, but everyone who had been invited was someone who would treasure the event for years to come (except for Madame Razz, who had confused the date as expected). The seats reserved for the former Princess Alliance were still empty, but Entrapta had taken her seat, with Emily beeping contentedly beside her. Huntara sat beside the purple-haired princess, just barely resisting the urge to rip the shorter woman’s head off. She could hold back, for Adora’s sake. 

Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio were there too, sitting towards the back. They hadn’t wanted to come initially, but Scorpia had asked them to come so that she wouldn’t be the lone ex-Horde soldier in the audience, and they’d reluctantly obliged for her sake. Now they sat in the folding chairs brought from Bright Moon, gazing in awe at their lush surroundings. 

Having a wedding in the woods wasn’t a conventional choice, but it was something Catra and Adora had insisted on. The Whispering Woods were what had set them on the course to this day, and they wanted to end their journey where they’d begun it.

“Or really,” Adora had said, “We want a new beginning, a better one this time.

“Babe, sometimes you’re really smart,” Catra had said, and then their friends had quickly left the room. 

But really, despite all expectations, the Super Awesome Best Friend Wedding Planning Committee (as so aptly named by Bow) had outdone themselves. 

The wedding was set up in a grassy clearing, with trees ringing on every side. Plastic chairs were set up in neat rows, leading up to a wooden arch with vines and tiny white flowers trailing down the sides. There were eight chairs in a row with the aisle cleared right down the center, a ribbon on either side draped from chair to chair. Wildflowers bloomed in the grass underfoot, and the sound of a burbling stream could be heard in the distance. The crowning jewel of it all was the trees; their natural beauty was left unaltered except for the glowing orbs hovering in the branches.They cast a soft light over the crowd as dusk fell, highlighting the floral arrangements at every corner of the clearing. There was even a special pen set up for Swift Wind, who had promised to be very, very, very quiet.

Maybe, just maybe, Catra thought as she peeked out from behind a tree, these weren't just Adora's friends, but hers too.

George took his place standing at the center of the arch, and the crowd fell silent. 

The Princess Alliance made their way down the aisle in pairs: Bow in a cropped tuxedo linking arms with Glimmer in a floor length tulle dress with spaghetti straps, Sea Hawk in a bright blue suit clinging to Mermista dressed to match Glimmer, and Perfuma and Scorpia holding hands in matching dresses. As they walked, Perfuma flicked a hand behind her, and the aisle filled with flower petals.

They made their way to their seats in the very front, with Bow taking his place beside his unoccupied father and Glimmer beside hers, and the rest taking their seats in the order they’d walked in. Bow and Lance both already had tears in their eyes. 

Catra took a deep breath and let it all out. This, at last, was really it. 

Careful to remain concealed, she inched her way over to the entrance of the aisle.

“Hey, Catra.” 

Catra nearly screamed, until she looked down and saw the pale hand on her arm, the nails painstakingly painted a sparkling silver. One was already beginning to chip. 

She relaxed, turning to see the woman she was about to be joined to forever. 

“Hey, Adora.” Without even thinking about it, she opened her arms and pulled Adora into a tight hug, nearly knocking the wind out of her. “I missed you,” she mumbled into Adora’s shoulder.

“It’s only been a couple of hours.”

“I know. But I always miss you, even when you’re right here.” The only sound was their breathing and the rustling of the trees. “Adora?”

“I missed you too. I wanted to see you, before, for a moment.” Her voice was thick, and when she pulled back, tears were swimming in her eyes. “I love you, you know that? More than anything or anyone, ever, in all of Etheria.”

“I love you too.” Catra let her arms drop, and found that her hands were shaking. She reached out and laced her fingers through Adora’s, feeling their heartbeats slip into tune with one another. “More than the moons, and the stars, and every flower in that clearing.”

Adora threw back her head and laughed, but Catra could feel her heart rate quickening. “That’s really cheesy, you know.”

“It’s true.” Catra shrugged. “Besides, wouldn’t you say the same?”

Adora smiled, and that was answer enough. 

“Hey.” Adora took a step forward, until they were chest to chest, and unlaced their fingers so that they were palm to palm.

“Hey.” And really, Catra tried to hold back, but she couldn’t resist smiling back.

“Are you ready?” Adora’s smile slipped, and her hand grew sweaty under Catra’s.

“Yes.” The response was instantaneous, without thought or question or even a split second for hesitation. “Are you?” Now it was Catra’s palm growing sweaty, her smile dropping as her foot tap-tap-tapped against the bare earth. 

And then that brilliant smile returned, and Catra knew she had no reason to fear. “Yes.” The answer came quicker than a second, quicker than a breath, quicker than a heartbeat, even a racing one.

Strains of Bow’s violin music carried across the clearing and into the trees, and Catra knew this moment was about to end. She didn’t mind, though. There was plenty of time to make new ones.

“Pretty sure that’s my cue.” Adora pulled her hand from Catra’s, digging a smudged piece of paper out of her pocket and quickly scanning it. “Yeah, I’m on.” She grinned down at Catra and, all at once, ducked her head and pressed a featherlight kiss to Catra’s cheek. Her hair, for once loose and wavy around her shoulders, brushed Catra’s shoulders as she pulled away, and Catra fought to twirl a piece around her finger. 

Adora clasped her hands behind her back, and the way she glanced at Catra and then looked away was almost… shy. “I’ll be waiting for you, alright?” Adora reached over, took Catra’s hand, and pressed one last kiss to the back. “Whenever you’re ready.” She turned, flashing one last grin over her shoulder, and was gone in a blur of lace and curls.

Slowly, Catra moved to position herself by the mouth of the aisle. The tree she hid behind blocked her view, but her ears pricked up towards every miniscule noise. She could hear the collective rush as everyone rose for Adora, and the sound of Bow bursting into tears even as he continued to play. 

And then after what felt like mere seconds, the music changed, and it was her turn.

The bravado she’d been displaying was fading. Catra placed a hand over her heart and felt its pounding beat, faster than any violin could play. The urge to run was overwhelming, her breath coming in short bursts as if she already had. It seemed unfair that she could be so lucky, that she could be deserving of something as great as this: this life, this love, this union.

But no, Catra had fought for this. She and Adora had both fought for this, against the Horde, the princesses, Shadow Weaver, and even themselves. 

This step into the aisle was just one final fight. And in comparison to everything she’d endured, this was the easiest one yet. Catra had always embraced change, using it to push others away, to draw back within herself. This change, though? This would only bring them closer together.

She stepped out into the aisle.

The second Catra saw Adora, everything seemed to slow. The music, the guests, even the trees around them faded, until it was only Catra and the aisle in front of her, Adora at the other end, the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

They’d seen each other only moments ago, but Catra hadn’t really  _ looked _ at Adora. Now, however, she took it all in: the bare feet, the cape that just barely brushed the soft grass, the lace, the heart shape of the neckline, the delicate lace sleeves, the hair falling free (which Catra realized with a shock reached nearly mid-chest now), even the scars across her cheek.

Really, though, all Catra could focus on was Adora’s face.

At first, intense, focused anxiety, her eyebrows drawn together as she stared at the place where Catra should be. There was hope, too, in the artfully arranged flowers whose stems were nearly crushed in her hands, in the thumb reaching to rubbing circles across the back of her hand, in the golden lights reflected in those wide blue eyes.

And then, when Adora saw Catra appear at the other end of the aisle, pure and total joy.

Adora was glowing, and not in a magical princess way, but in such a way that no one could doubt that she was utterly and unequivocally in love. Her eyes shone, her cheeks heating pink, her hands relaxing around the bouquet.

Adora didn’t give her butterflies anymore, Catra realized as she began walking down the aisle. Instead, what filled her was a sense of warmth. The sense of comfort, of safety that she’d been missing all her life - that was what Adora gave her.

Maybe she did believe in soulmates after all.

Catra had thought she would cry, been completely sure of it. But as Bow took his seat and Adora handed her bouquet to Glimmer so that she and Catra could join hands, Catra felt a wave of calm washing over her just from being in Adora’s presence.

Adora seemed to be on the opposite end of the spectrum; Catra could feel her pulse as they linked their fingers together, could see the flush rising in Adora’s cheeks.

“Are you nervous?” She whispered as George cleared his throat. 

Adora shook her head ever so slightly. “Excited.”

“Me too.” They smiled at one another bashfully, little kids meeting for the first time and teenagers tiptoeing around their feelings and adults finally letting themselves be in love, all at once.

In the audience, Bow began to sob into his handkerchief.

“Family, friends, and other esteemed guests,” George began. “We are here today to join two women in matrimony, under the authority of Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon. Queen Glimmer, do you approve of this union?”

Glimmer stood, and though her eyes had begun to water, her voice was strong and clear. “I do.” She resumed her seat.

“With the queen’s permission, we will now begin the vows. These two women have chosen to use the traditional First Ones vows as uncovered by historians, which they will now recite.” Originally they’d planned to write their own vows, but that had quickly proven to be far outside both their skill sets.

Catra gripped Adora’s hands a little tighter as George stepped back to allow them to take center stage. They’d agreed she would recite her vows first, and though she’d practiced every night for months, the fear of forgetting her lines was still there. 

Scorpia rose, and Catra and Adora dropped each other’s hands to accept the rings: one silver, one gold, engraved with First One’s writing.

“Adora,” Catra began, her voice wavering ever so slightly. Some fears could not be alleviated even by Adora’s presence. She held the ring so tightly it dug into her palm, and to her relief, the words flowed out with the smoothness of muscle memory. “From first light to moons’ dark, my heart beats for you. From first meeting to death’s bed, my heart beats for you. To love, to protect, to hope and to hold, my heart beats for you. Every breath of every day, my heart beats for you.” 

All the stress slipped from Catra’s body in one deep exhale as Adora straightened to begin her section of the vows.

“From moons’ rise to light born, my heart beats for you. From last day to heaven’s meet, my heart beats for you. To love, to receive, to carry and want, my heart beats for you. Every heat of every touch, my heart beats for you.” 

And then the stress was back, because this was it, the moment in which there was everything to gain and everything to lose.

“Adora,” Catra said again, and truly she would never get tired of that name in her mouth. She gently lifted one hand with her own trembling one, the ring clutched in her other hand. “Do you take me into your heart?” 

“I-” Adora’s voice was higher and thinner than Catra had ever heard it, and she stopped, frozen in place, her eyes wide.

It wasn’t in the plan, but Catra followed her gut and laced her fingers through Adora’s, for what felt like the hundredth time that day, and squeezed her hand. Their eyes met, and a tear slipped down Adora’s cheek. 

“I do.” There was only strength in her voice now, and, still shaking, Catra pulled her hand away and slipped the silver ring onto Adora’s finger. 

Maybe she was going to cry after all.

“Catra, do you take me into your heart?”

And yes, Catra was crying, the tears that had been building throughout the vows now spilling over and down her cheeks. “I do,” she said, once again with no hesitation. She lifted her hand and allowed Adora to slide the golden ring on.

George stepped forward again, placing his hands over their joined ones. “Through the power granted to me by Queen Glimmer, and through the will of fate that brought you together, I now pronounce Catra and Adora to be joined in marriage.” He beamed at them, and Catra thought she might even have seen a tear glistening in his eye as well. “You may now kiss the bride.”

Adora didn’t wait for him to finish before swooping Catra into a dip and pressing her forehead to Catra’s, Catra’s tail winding to rest loosely around Adora’s waist. Suddenly, it was like the sound faded back in, and Catra could hear Sea Hawk yelling and Scorpia sobbing and Bow honking loudly into his handkerchief, and she thought she maybe even heard Entrapta yelling “This is my favorite social experiment yet!” over all the hubbub.

The loudest thing of all, though, was Adora leaning in to whisper “I can’t believe I get to spend forever with you,” into Catra’s ear.

And then they were kissing, and Catra wasn’t thinking anything at all anymore, because she was finally here.

When Adora pulled away, Catra reached up to loop her arms around her wife’s neck and pull her back into another kiss as their friends cheered.

Catra had never believed in fairy tales, but she decided she might believe in happily ever afters after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please drop a comment if you liked! my tumblr is @nbdoubletrouble if you want to say hi <3

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed, drop a comment and come say hi to me on tumblr @nbdoubletrouble ! chapter 2 is also, like, right there.


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